


Should Have Known All Along

by traumschwinge



Category: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Charles Is a Big Dorkface, Erik Has Feelings, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-22
Updated: 2015-07-22
Packaged: 2018-04-10 14:02:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4394678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/traumschwinge/pseuds/traumschwinge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in a fantasy AU where people only age past 18 once they meet their soulmate, Charles has spent ten years at the royal court as King Erik's personal scribe. He's expected to do that for decades, maybe even centuries to come. After all, what is the likelyhood of meeting one's soulmate?<br/>He is, of course, wrong there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Should Have Known All Along

**Author's Note:**

> For [the-assbender-whisperer](http://the-assbender-whisperer.tumblr.com)
> 
> If you’re wondering how rare soulmates in this AU are: I went with [Randall Munroe’s theory](http://what-if.xkcd.com/9/) of less than 1 in 10,000 people finding true love in a single lifetime. It’s not important for the fic but an interesting tidbit(?)
> 
> Based on this post ([X](http://the-assbender-whisperer.tumblr.com/post/120946660984/marikaefer-dissypoo-scientistsoldier))

Charles always watched his King closely whenever he wasn't busy writing protocols or drawing up contracts or whatever scribe work the King would come up with. It had started out as real curiosity, but had long since become more of a habit.

There weren't many people that looked older than eighteen in the realm, even though most people were much much older. Legend had it some youth once angered an old witch, uncaring for her age and giving her a hard time because of it. So she had put a curse upon the entire realm. Unless its people found their soulmate, they wouldn't age a day past their eighteenth birthday. Those who did find their soulmate lived happy and aging until the end of their days, dying amidst their family of old age with their soulmate usually soon to follow.

With how improbable it was to find one's soulmate out of all the millions or billions of people in the world, seeing a middle aged person was a reason for the few children to stop in the streets and stare. Even around the harbors and the merchant quarters of the bigger towns, where most of those bonded to a soulmate lived you wouldn't necessarily see one every day.

The King, however, was different. He, too, was for all he looked middle aged, maybe twenty, possibly even thirty years past his bonding. But for all Charles knew there was no soulmate. Other servants had told him that there once had been, of course there had been one, but the King had killed her, so he could rule eternally.

Back when he'd first had arrived at the palace, Charles had believed the rumors. And why wouldn't he? Most people followed their soulmates to the grave within weeks or even days, even if they lost them comparatively soon after their bonding. And with his stony face and stormy eyes, jaw always locked tight as if he was perpetually displeased, the King looked just like the grim, evil king from a fairy tale that would murder his one soulmate to rule a realm eternally.

Now that he'd lived at court for almost ten years, though, Charles could only laugh at these silly rumors. Erik was the nicest, most caring king the realm could wish for. He just didn't know too well how or when to drop his hard shell and show some of his compassion. As for the soulmate who'd died, Erik never talked about her and cut any conversation off when the topic came up. Even drunk, he only reacted by looking misserably. It was the one thing, Charles had learned very early on, Erik would never talk about. He couldn't bring himself to blame him for it.

"Charles?" the King asked softly. Charles hadn't even noticed him leaning down to bring his face close enough to Charles' nobody would hear his words, so lost had he been in his thoughts. "Did you get what the petitioner said just now?"

Embarrassed that he'd neglected his duty so badly, Charles shook his head. "But wasn't it the same petition the merchant's guild has brought up every week since the start of the year?" he asked. "I can just copy it down from last week. Or the week before."

Erik chuckled. "Or you could waste a little less paper and ink and just write a note to look at last weeks petition. My answers haven't changed." He was about to sit up straight again when he paused. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Charles.

"Is something wrong, your Majesty?" Charles asked. The sudden stare had him nervous.

Erik just shook his head. "You have something there." He reached out for Charles' hair and plucked a hair.

"Ouch!" Charles protested. "That one was still attached."

"I'm sorry," Erik smiled. "I could have sworn it was loose." With that, before Charles had opportunity to respond, the King turned his attention back to the merchant to send him on his way with the same negative answer every single one of these petitions had gotten.

As soon as he was gone, the next petitioner was led in and Charles had to return to his work. But he still couldn't stop thinking about why on earth the King would pluck a hair from his head.

  


* * *

  


It was about a week later. Charles was in the middle of dressing himself for the day, cleaning his face, brushing his hair, when his eyes fell on the brush by chance. Once he realized what he was seeing, Charles couldn't stop staring at the hair in the brush. One single hair. Every other hair in the brush was just as brown as all those on his head. Just this one wasn't. Not even close.

Feeling dizzy all of a sudden, Charles sank down on the bed, brush still in his hand. A gray hair. Nobody got gray hair. At least not those unbonded. And even those who had found their soulmates usually didn't show much outer signs for some time.

Charles took a deep breath. Looking at it like that, it could only mean he had bonded years ago. Maybe it even had been a decade or more already. Possibly even before he'd been sent to the Court, back home. Or, more likely, just after he had arrived. He'd met so many new people then, it could be one of those.

At least that explained what hair the King had plucked from him, Charles tried to look on the bright side. It didn't help. It only made him wonder how long he had been having gray hairs without noticing it himself. How could one just _miss_ that he had bonded with his soulmate.

Charles must have been sitting on his bed in shock for so long, people started missing him. There was a knock at the door. Then another. Then, after Charles hadn't responded to the third knock either, a servant entered. The boy startled when he noticed Charles. Clearly, he had expected an empty room, or at least Charles still asleep, but definitely not sitting on his bed, fully dressed and staring down at an hairbrush. The servant cleared his throat. "The King wishes to know why his favorite scribe still isn't there and ready to sit through endless petitioners with him," he repeated his order.

The edges of Charles' mouth twitched despite himself. That order just sounded so achingly like Erik.

"Sir?" the servant asked. Charles still hadn't made any move to answer. "Are you alright?" The boy was obviously unsure what to do with Charles.

"'m not feeling all that well," Charles murmured.

"Do you need me to fetch the healer?" The boy was relieved he had found something he could do.

Charles shook his head. "Just tell His Majesty that he'll have to do with another scribe today," he sighed. "I think all I need's a little bit of rest to get better."

"Understood," the servant replied. "If you change your mind, sir, give me a call."

Charles waved him away then. He didn't move much after, but at least he was left in peace for a few hours.

Until noon at least. The tower clock hadn't even stopped striking, when Charles was startled from his revery. This time, his visitor didn't even bother to wait for a response after knocking once, before he pushed the door open, strolled in and closed it behind himself.

Erik immediately crouched down in front of Charles when he saw his state. He even took his hand, sending a pleasant warm sensation up from where they touched. "Charles? What's wrong?" he asked. He sounded genuinely worried.

"I'm..." Charles struggled to find the right words. "I think I'm a big idiot."

Erik squeezed his hands. "So you're not sick?" he asked. "You look like you're about to cry. Just what happened for you to think you're an idiot? I know you aren't. You're one of the most brilliant men I ever met."

Wordlessly, Charles held out the brush for Erik to inspect.

"Oh Charles," Erik sighed. "I wondered when you'd notice yourself." He took the brush and put it aside, out of Charles' sigh. "Is it all that terrible to be bonded?"

Charles couldn't bring himself to tell Erik of all people that he thought being bonded was horrible. Even the truth was less painful to admit to him. So Charles stammered, "But I don't even know whom I bonded _to_. Or when I did. Or how it even happened."

"Oh Charles," Erik sighed. He got back to his feet again, groaning a little with the effort it took him. "Have you tried consulting the seer? If you can't come up with it yourself, maybe she can help you."

"You think so?" Charles raised his head to look at him.

Erik shook his head. " _I think_ that you should just come up with the answer yourself. But she might have a push in the right direction for you."

"Thank you," Charles nodded. "I'll go see her right away."

"Just come back when you're done, okay?" Erik tried to go for a smile but failed halfway through. "I wouldn't want to suffer through for more hours of inane petitioners alone."

Charles nodded. "I promise I'll be there this afternoon."

"Well, then, better get going," Erik held out a hand to help Charles up and then led him out of the room with a hand on the small of his back.

  


* * *

  


The seer had her own little cottage at the far end of the palace gardens. It was a bit of a walk there from the main buildings so people usually only rarely visited and never without the intention of asking for something. It had lead to the unofficial rule to be ready to bring her at least a little something every time one visited. Usually, small requests were paid in rumors, and she would send one on errand runs for the bigger ones. The bigger the more expensive or tiresome the errand she'd expect you to do.

Charles knocked at her front door, mentally going over his accounts already.

"Come in," the seer answered.

Charles pushed the door open and entered the dimly lit cottage. It was all just for show, of course, but he appreciated the thought and effort. The seer was sitting at the table in the middle of the room, a plate filled with a dark liquid in front of her. Or it could just be the tomato soup she was having for lunch when he interrupted with the spoon missing. It was hard to tell in this kind of light.

"Sit down, child," she said, pointing to the seat on the other side of the table. "What can I do for you today?"

Charles sat down. "I'm looking for my soulmate."

The seer raised an eyebrow. "I'm not helping people to find their soulmates."

"But I already found them!" Charles protested. "I must have. I'm aging! But I can't figure out who they are."

The seer shot him a look that could only be described as pitiful, and a little bit disbelieving. "You misplaced your soulmate?" she said flatly.

Charles hung his shoulders. "I don't even know who they are."

The seer sighed. "Okay okay fine I'll take a look. But you have to find them yourself. I can only give you a hint. The rules are the rules."

Charles nodded. "Understood."

The seer leaned forward and looked deep into the plate in front of her. She frowned, stirred the liquid a little with her finger, then started to laugh.

"What? What do you see?" Charles asked.

"Oh my boy," the seer wheezed. "I think you already know the answer to your question. Just think about who makes you heart beat faster."

"What?"

She laughed on. "Misplaced his soulmate he said."

Charles glared at her. "Thanks for your help," he grumbled. He got up and left, still irritated about her reaction.

  


* * *

  


As he had promised, Charles spent the afternoon by the King's side, writing down all the petitions brought before him and listening to Erik's whispered comments between people asking him to do one thing or another for their own benefit. But he couldn't stop thinking about what the seer had told him. "The one that made his heart beat faster". He couldn't think of somebody like that. Sure, there was one person he generally liked to be around more and felt happier when he was with him, but that was just because they were such close friends. He had never felt any butterflies around him like people said one would upon meeting one's soulmate.

"What did the seer tell you?" Erik asked later when they were left alone in the audience hall, having finished for the day. "Was she able to help you?"

"She laughed at me," Charles said miserably. "And then she told me to find the one that makes my heart beat faster, before she laughed some more. But I can't think of anyone like that."

Erik looked at him thoughtfully. "Maybe you've been in love for so long that you're past that stage?"

"But I should have experienced that feeling once!" Charles protested. "And try as I might I can't think back to a time when I did."

"Back when you first came here," Erik begann. "I remember you being so nervous I bet your heart was beating faster just about any time you met somebody new. If you met the lucky one then I'm sure you wouldn't have noticed."

"But I met so many people then and made so many friends I can't possibly..."

"Charles, would you look at me for a second?" Erik interrupted his babbling.

"Your Majesty?" Confused, Charles turned his head to Erik. He wasn't exactly sure what happened next but somehow, Erik's lips found their way onto his. His heart missed a few beats, before it started hammering as if it was urging him to kiss back, to not ever let Erik go again.

He had to, after a while. He didn't know how to breathe like this, he needed air, he needed a break. His head was spinning a little. He leaned into the hand Erik had put against his cheek then, separating their lips for the time being.

"Your pulse is rushing," Erik whispered. He, too, was short of breath.

"So I noticed," Charles replied. "I feel funny."

"Funny bad?" Erik looked so worried for a moment that Charles just had to kiss him again.

"Just funny," he murmured. He rested his head against Erik's chest. "How about you take responsibility for dragging me out when I clearly wasn't fit enough for work and bring me to a quieter place? Like my room?"

Erik laughed softly. "Whatever you want, Charles. Whatever you want."

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Must Have Known All Along](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4694975) by [AsexualMagneto](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsexualMagneto/pseuds/AsexualMagneto)




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